The phrase "sleeping with someone" often means "having sex." What is the origin of this sexual connotation? Is there a non-sexual equivalent of this phrase to express sleeping with someone without sexual intercourse?

@LesterNubla I would say "spending the night" is suggestive as well. I guess these phrases are so often used euphemistically we just jump to those conclusions?!
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starsplusplusJan 28 '14 at 10:50

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" why would you do that?" Because you're both tired and there's only one bed, or there's no heat and not enough bedding. Because you're a couple who co-own the bed (yes, that's right, couples don't constantly have sex.) I'm sure an intelligent person with a decent imagination can come up with other reasons.
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Jim BalterJan 28 '14 at 20:52

Perhaps, "We literally slept together." The use of the "literally" to mean "very" weakens this a bit, but I thought I'd offer it as another choice.

I agree that with American (Western?) culture as it is, you probably can't avoid the implication altogether, unless the person you're sharing a bed with a child or a relative. It also helps if you give the reason for not getting separate beds.

This was the original intent of the word 'bedfellows', as in 'Politics makes strange bedfellows.' It is about having to lie next to one another, in the sense of 'You have made your bed; now lie in it.' (They do not mean 'made your bed' by putting on the sheets, they mean 'made up the contents of your bed'.)

You can tell this is not about sex, because such references come from a time when enclosed and heated space was at a premium and people, even at home, but especially in hotels, shared multiple-person beds instead of there being multiple beds in a space, either for compactness, or for warmth.

(Besides the other imagery would paint all politicians as gay.)

You could quaintly revive this, but it may be so cutesy they will just think you are being coy.

We shared sleeping quarters, or -- less suggestive still -- We {were forced to / had to} share our sleeping quarters. If the reference to being forced to sleep in the same space stands, then even bed could be used without implying that sex took place.